Various different coverings exist for architectural openings such as doors, windows and the like. The coverings, for instance, can provide privacy, can block views from outside, can provide thermal insulation, and/or can be aesthetically pleasing. One type of covering is referred to as a blind. Although blinds can take many different forms, blinds typically include a fabric or other material that is designed to be suspended adjacent to the top of an architectural opening by hardware that may be capable of raising and lowering the fabric.
The covering, such as a roller blind, can be configured to be raised and lowered in numerous ways. For instance, roller blinds typically include a blind material that winds and unwinds on a rotating mandrel for retracting and extending the blind. Other blinds include Roman blinds that hang flat when lowered and pleated blinds that include horizontal fold lines that allow the blind to collapse into a uniform stack when retracted. Another type of blind is typically referred to as a cellular blind. Cellular blinds are made from a series of connected foldable cells.
One of the advantages to installing a blind within an architectural opening is the ability to select a blind material or fabric that lets a desired amount of light to pass through the blind. For instance, in one embodiment, a blind material may be selected that completely blocks light from entering through the architectural opening. In an alternative embodiment, a blind material may be selected that allows a small amount of light to pass through the material for allowing some light to enter through the architectural opening while also providing visual appeal. In still another embodiment, a blind material may be selected that allows a substantial amount of light to pass through the architectural opening. Such materials are typically referred to as “sheer” materials, which can be made with a relatively open weave and can be constructed from woven or knit monofilament yarns.
Although the type of blind selected can control the amount of light transmission to some extent, a need exists to better control the amount of light transmission and to diffuse the light to create a more pleasing environment in an area utilizing a roller blind. At the same time, a need also exists to better control the amount of solar energy that passes through the roller blind to reduce energy costs and limit damage to furniture, fabrics, and other items exposed to sunlight.
Different methods and techniques for altering or reducing light transmission when constructing blind products have been proposed. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,378 discloses blinds made for light control where fabric vanes are adhesively bonded between two sheer fabric sheets in a manner that biases the fabric sheets together to the non-light admitting position. U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,160 describes using two layers of a thick material with transparent and opaque sections to control the amount of light in a room. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 7,980,288 discloses blinds made for light control having a series of slats connected between two spaced apart sheets of material. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/020,305, published as U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0159058, meanwhile, describes the use of a titanium dioxide coating applied to glass yarn to attenuate the passage of light. While the prior art describes the use of various configurations of slats to alter light transmission in blinds, the prior art does not disclose the use of a non-woven material as a backing to roller blind fabric or material to decrease the light transmission and diffuse light as does the present disclosure.
The present disclosure is directed to further improvements in roller blind products containing laminate materials. More particularly, the present disclosure is directed to applying a non-woven material to a roller blind screen in order to control light transmission, which, for example, allows for a more aesthetically pleasing atmosphere by diffusing the view through the blind, and to control the solar energy that is allowed to pass through the roller blind screen.